The EfA Blog - TESOL

It is a common misconception that people who grow up in English speaking environments are automatically qualiﬁed to teach English. If you are recruiting teachers to work at your centre, here are some key questions that will tell you more than you think about prospective teachers:
1) Why did you...

After completing a Trinity Cert TESOL or Cambridge CELTA course you will start applying for jobs. There isn’t really a shortage of full time work in TESOL, but there is a lack of quality employers. Securing a post can be a daunting chore and presenting yourself in a professional manner will make a...

Of the 175 or so trainee teachers who study the Trinity Cert TESOL certification in Hong Kong each year, very few know what they are in for. The gradient of the learning curve, the retention (and application) of so much content in such a short space of time, the stress and sleepless nights… A lot...

Native English-speaking teachers are often seen as a premium product, being there’s an assumption they are masters of the language both grammatically and phonologically. This belief leads some employers to deem that native English speakers (NET) are best suited to teach ESL learners. As a result,...

In the choppy world of full-time language teaching, teachers working with several groups of learners for short periods, sometimes moving between settings with adults, kids, teens, businesspeople and tutorial students, it is easy to lose track of the individuals who are looking up to you for their...

Reading and listening requirements for IELTS & ISE exams are vital for ESL students to study abroad at English speaking universities. These skills are especially important as they’ll need to attend lectures and interact with various materials throughout their studies. Additionally, they may be...

One of the first things that new teachers are taught, especially if they are having difficulty with a new class, is that in order to better manage learners’ behavior they should set up a points chart. Points systems vary from simple concepts such as adding marbles in a jar, having a classroom chart...

As 21st century skills become a hot topic in the world of ESL, teachers regularly face the challenge of integrating the 4 C’s (creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication) into an often already busy curriculum and perhaps more importantly, the challenge of making them accessible...